While you were sleeping…

With so many FMCG companies introducing dozens of products at regular intervals, it becomes very difficult to judge what is necessary for skincare and what isn't. Night creams are one such product. Many feel that they are just a mere waste of money, but night creams can also help you in some ways.

There are two basic types of night creams available in the market. One meant for anti-ageing and another for deep moisturising. The anti ageing range of creams contains basic ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid, salicyclic acid and retinyl acetate. All of these ingredients help your skin to increase turnover, which can help diminish the appearance of age spots and fine lines and wrinkles. However, these ingredients can irritate our skin, increasing its exposure to UV rays.

While, deep moisturising creams have hydrating, deep nourishing and restorative effect on the skin. These are just like your usual moisturising creams with extra levels of emollients so that they are more moisturising. So if you use a good quality daily moisturiser, then you likely don’t need a separate night cream. 

 But choosing these creams is tricky. All the creams available in the market are designed keeping in mind the age, skin type and requirements of your skin. Not all night creams are designed for you. Every cream is formulated keeping your age in mind.

So first consider your age. In your 20s, creams with natural ingredients are more advisable. Choose a cream that contains natural ingredients like aloe vera, honey and other essential oils. People in 30s need more chemical active ingredients like amino acids, ceramides, retinol and others. They are known for their antioxidant properties which are well suited for that age group. When in 40s, go for creams containing peptides, soy extracts and vitamins. Your night cream should be able to fight puffiness, wrinkles and pigmentation.

Then the next important thing to be considered is your skin type. If you have a dry skin texture, opt for a cream that contains maximum moisture. Glycerin-based creams are ideal. Creams that contain avocado, almond oil and shea butter are great for this skin type. For oily skin opt for an oil-free cream, it will not trigger acne or rashes. People with sensitive skin should use a night cream which contains lightweight formula. Natural ingredients like neem, cucumber, tea tree and aloe vera creams are your best bet.

To reap the best benefits out of your night cream, first cleanse your face with a gentle cleanser. Then apply the night cream in gentle, upward strokes in circular motion. Avoid the area around your eyes, but cover the area around your neck. And most importantly, apply it half-an-hour before you go to bed

Glares that care

If you thought that the harsh sun only affected your exposed skin, think again! It is not just your skin but also your eyes which suffer because of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. The fancy stylish sun-glasses we use are absolutely of no use in protecting eyes. Too much exposure to sunlight increases the risks of eye diseases like cataract, growths on the eye, and cancer. Some of these diseases take many years to develop, but when they do surface, they often leave devastating effects on our eyesight.

The most common and obvious way of protecting your eyes from the sun are glasses. But these days’ glares are more about fashion and less about care. When we buy glares, we opt for the trendiest options, but without checking its UV protection factors.

Understand that UV radiation in sunlight - UVA and UVB - can cause harmful damage to human body in more than one way. According to researchers, UVA rays have deeper penetrating effect on your eyes. These rays may injure the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sight. On the other hand, exposure to UVB rays results in external growth or discoloration of the eye.  Cataracts are in fact opacity formed in the natural lens of the eye often caused by long term exposure to UV radiation. Chronic UV exposure may contribute to the aging processes in the retina, leading to macular degeneration and poor vision.

Pterygium is a fleshy growth on the white part of the eye that may extend onto the clear cornea where it can block vision. It presents most commonly in people who work outdoors in the sun and wind, and is correlated to the amount of UV exposure. And Photokeratitis is reversible sunburn of the cornea resulting from excessive UV-B exposure. It occurs from spending long hours on the beach without UV sun protection. It can be extremely painful for 1-2 days and can result in temporary loss of vision.

To avoid the above it is essential to follow some dos

• Do use Ultraviolet protecting sunglasses. Buy a wraparound design in glares so that your eyes are well protected
  

• Use wide brimmed hat when on excursions in the outdoors

• Buy sunglasses only if there is a UV label. Labels should be examined carefully to ensure that the lenses purchased absorb at least 99 per cent of UVA and UVB light 

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• Wear waterproof eye make-up as sweat may cause it to enter inside the eyes 

Don’ts

• It is not necessary that glares of darker tint provide more UV protection. Also, don't be misguided by the price -- higher priced sunglasses usually reflect fashion or durability, not UV protection   

• Don’t rub your eyes with unclean hands or when you are outdoors and in public places   

• Don’t splash water inside your eyes, as is a habit for some people. This washes away the tear film that is a protective layer and can cause dry eyes  

Keep the water levels high this summer

Summers are for flaunting floral prints, cotton outfits, skirts and shades. However, preparing your skin to combat the harsh sun should be a priority, so that you can look gorgeous and wear those shorts without
any worry!

Keep your skin happy and hydrated because there's nothing worse than feeling parched and burnt, especially during hot, summer months. It is very essential to understand that even if humidity levels in the air are at its optimum, too much exposure to harsh sun rays can rob your skin of essential oils and moistures.

Firstly, it is important to understand what our skin is made up off. Our skin is the biggest organ of our body. Nearly 70 per cent of our skin is made up of water that helps us to flush out our toxins. In summer you tend to sweat more, so, replenishing the water content lost from your body is a must hence, when you’re advised to drink lots of water for healthy skin during summer, take it seriously.

Our skin has an inbuilt Natural Moisturising Factor (also known as NMF). Water binds itself to our NMF and collagen beneath our skin surface, which is responsible for keeping the skin hydrated. Though there are many factors like hormone, aging and caffeine that lead to dehydration of the skin, other external factors like over-exposure to the sun, high temperature, humidity, intense UV radiation, cold temperatures are also responsible for dehydrated skin.

Also popularly we tend to use more cleansing and exfoliating products, during summer to get rid of the excess oil. But what we forget to acknowledge is the fact that skin turns extra sensitive in the summer due to the rise in mercury. In such conditions, even washing your face with a face wash more than twice a day can prove to be damaging. The correct way to go about this problem is to identify your skin type and the reason behind dehydration.

When it comes to hydration needs of year skin, there is a myth - oily skin types do not need moisturising. The fact is that every skin type and texture needs to be hydrated. Even though acne and zits easily breakout on oily skin during summer, using a proper moisturising product on an oily skin is the most important thing. For example, using gel based lotions can help people with oily skin stay hydrated and cool. Secondly, oily skin tends to react more to the hot summer sun, decreasing the normal water level in the skin. So, a sunscreen/sunblock is a must no matter what weather it is. While most of the popular sunscreen brands are cream based, you also get gel based sunscreens with huge SPF available in the market. Gel based sunscreen products will not only ensure full protection but will also prevent pores clogging for oily skin.

So this summer stay hydrate and flaunt your spring summer look without any inhibition!